Giant Buck-toothed Swamp Rodents Invading Sacramento

From the Sacramento Bee:Why California is freaking out over this invasive giant swamp rodent

A giant invasive swamp rodent known for destroying wetland
habitats and damaging levees has invaded the West Coast’s largest
estuary that sits on Sacramento’s doorstep.

State biologists report
that they’ve found nearly two dozen nutria, a South American aquatic
rodent, since March in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. The infestation
so far is in wetlands in Merced, Stanislaus and Fresno counties.

The fear is that if the
voracious, burrowing plant eaters set up a sustaining population it
could mean bad news for the fragile Delta ecosystem and its network of
levees, which are vital to flood control and delivering water to farms
and cities across the southern half of the state. The rodents also can
contaminate water supplies with parasites and diseases that humans,
livestock and pets can catch.

Bigger than a muskrat and smaller than a beaver, nutria can grow up to
20 pounds – about the size of a small beagle. They’re prolific breeders
and can reach breeding age within six months. One female can produce as
many three litters in just over a year – roughly 200 offspring....MORE